Pete Carroll on Marshawn Lynch: It’s called a contract for a reason

Posted by Josh Alper on July 25, 2014, 5:54 PM EST

AP

Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch is unhappy with his contract and expressing that displeasure by staying away from training camp, an approach that General Manager John Schneider says that the team isn’t planning to give him another one with two years to go on the current pact.

Coach Pete Carroll echoed Schneider’s comments on Friday, saying that the deal they gave Lynch in 2012 was part of the organization’s long-term plan to build a winning team and that they expect Lynch to hold up his end of that contract.

“It’s a contract for a reason. We made a decision and it was signed, by us and by them,” Carroll said, via USA Today. “We expect them to honor their contract just as we will. We’re going to honor it and we expect them to do the same.”

Red Bryant, Chris Clemons and other players released by the Seahawks with time and money left on their contract would probably be interested to know that the Seahawks’ policy is to honor every contract until the moment it expires, especially since they were doing Lynch one better and showing up for work before they were cut loose. USC might feel the same way about Carroll leaving the school for the Seahawks while still under contract.

Carroll’s skewed view of the way contracts work is beside the point when it comes to the Lynch situation, though. Right now, the Seahawks have made it clear that they’ll move on with Robert Turbin and Christine Michael before giving Lynch any more money and Lynch has made it clear he won’t show up until he gets more money. Someone is going to have to change their mind if Beast Mode is going to run again this season.

Oh wait, but they’re cutting him next season when he’s owed the majority of what’s left on these two years… Everyone knows this is happening which is why he’s holding out, because he knows he had 12 months left…

Anybody who knows the NFL could tell you…This is “Beast modes’ team, period. Without him they don’t win not only a ring but the division. Wilson NEEDS him more then anything. The defense is the supposed “star” of this team..but, I think Lynch is the focal point. Give him want he wants / deserves…and to top it off..Give him a life time supply of SKITTLES…

Well dammit I actually agree with Pete. Not because the heart of their offense doesn’t deserve it, but for the same reason I didn’t want Vernon Davis to get one. They are both incredibly well paid already and sometimes you just have to live with it. Don’t look at what they are making their final 2 years.. Look at TOTAL money and the guaranteed dough they already raked in.

lynch is good, but he is not up there with AP, charles and shady mccoy….he is getting paid plenty…7 mil per year is good money for a RB ….

mackcarrington says:Jul 25, 2014 6:08 PM

@politicallincorrect:
I don’t know where you’re getting your information from but Carroll didn’t give Reggie Bush’s family a house in San Diego. And just recently USC announced it will induct Pete Carroll into their athletic Hall of Fame. If USC doesn’t hold anything against Carroll, then what is your problem?

bobby2478 says:Jul 25, 2014 6:08 PM

Yes, it’s a contract, but the terms of the contract only apply to the player. The team is not bound by that contract and can sever relationship with any player under contract at any time for any reason they wish.

So it’s a 1 way street. If the team thinks they are paying too much money to a player based on a contract that was signed, they can cut the player and basically tear it up. The contract doesn’t apply any longer and the player will never see any non-guaranteed money.

If a player doesn’t like a contract, they have no recourse what soever other than to withhold their services (i.e. hold out).

If a team gets tired of a contract they can tear it up basically and cut a player. If a player gets tired of a contract they get told “tough luck, you signed a contract”.

I love the constant rhetoric about how NFL front offices don’t abide by their contracts by releasing players early. The fact is that NFL teams have it built into their contracts that they can release players at certain points and not be on the hook to pay the players. Players are WELL AWARE of this, which is why there are bonuses and guaranteed dollars paid at specific times.

Write a story about the GM who doesn’t pay guaranteed money because they no longer feel the player is worthy of ig. Because I have rarely seen an NFL front office not abide by their contracts.

Looks like they’re gonna play hard ball. Pete don’t care he’s set. A coach or gm with championships is set for life. Just take the money and play Marshawn. I know you come in here and read this stuff. They’re gonna give you 13 million over 2 years to play football dude. Come on bruh, you should see what i have to put up with just for 36k a year.

So there is no possible way you can cut him as a cap casualty? Because can he say to you that its called a contract for a reason? Nope you would cut him lose if you think you could save money…

On the other hand though Lynch isnt doing himself any favors. At his age he is not likely going to get more money from another team and at this point he should just play his heart out and try and get another championship before retirement.

All in all pretty sad for us fans. Lynch is a big part of Seattle and we backed him up as best as we could as people attacked him over his lack of character. I was hoping he would retire a Hawk but the way things are looking Christine may just be taking his place this year.

While making about a zillion times what he is paid for those employers

Why is the player always the greedy one? Oh yeah because in America giant corporations have human feelings too. The idea of the salary cap and the hometown discount are such BS. You want a real capitalist, free market kind of system, get rid of salary caps. Otherwise it’s all for the glory of the shield. What a socialist league we worship!

eaglesnoles05 says:Jul 25, 2014 6:17 PM

You may expect him to honor his contract, but he doesn’t have to, and neither do you. So what now?

Hey winninaintsinning,…( love your name btw) If you listen to Sherman ( and who can’t hear this mouth talk) he says STATS show he is the best CB in the NFL.. I say he wasn’t last year..and MY stats back it up.

Richard Sherman : 8 ints for 125 yrds 1 TD, 16 passes defended.

Brandon Boykin : 6 Ints for 136 yrds 1 TD 17 passes defended

But Boykins did it in almost HALF the playing time Sherman did it. Seahawks fans always say in Sherman’s defense. Stats don’t lie. In this case. I agree.
If stats don’t lie, and Boykins played the amount of time Sherman did. He would have had 12 Ints for 260 yrds 2 TD’s and 34 passes defended. To top it off. Boykins doesn’t “play the odds” of pass interference hoping the refs don’t call it all the time. Fact is the seahawks cheat and get away with it and boldly admit it. This year that rule will be enforced per league sources. I aint mad at the Hawks for doing as the late Al Davis always said. If you aint cheating..you aint trying to win. I agree. We’ll see this year how ‘great” Sherman is or isn’t. He is good but he is not great. Peterson, Haden, Talib, Tim Jennings and Revis are better. Sorry

schmitty2 says:Jul 25, 2014 6:18 PM

Why do I get the feeling that the Hawks fans who are “Beastmode this” and “Beastmode that” are going to sing a new tune” It’s all good…we have Christine Michael who is going to be an elite back”. Truth be told everyone knows the Hawks are an extremely tough team with or without him but he is the heart and soul of that offense. The Hawks know that….Hawks fans know that….everyone else knows that.

The contract that all NFL players sign are based on the idea they must make the team in order to get paid. So ALL players sign a contract with the full knowledge that the team can and will cut them loose when they get too expensive, but that is PART OF THE CONTRACT. So the notion that the team is tearing up the contract while demanding the player abide by it is a concept held by people who don’t understand how NFL contracts work. The team IS abiding by the contract when they cut a player loose who got too expensive. The players knows it, the agent knows it, and the team knows it. That is why they get so much money, and why Lynch got a front-loaded contract.

Part of a contact are provisions set forth by both parties for when and how they can terminate said contract. Beast mode has little leverage under the terms and the team has it all. This is how NFL contracts are written. Also, Pete legally terminated his contract with USC under terms specified therein and agreed upon by both parties, AKA getting an offer to coach at the next level. For all you haters who just want to bash Pete, go on ahead. Just do so with the knowledge that you don’t know what you’re talking about.

Wow I couldn’t believe how many people are dogging lynch!The dude is one of a kind takes all the heat off the offense and simply is.getting painted as a malcontent…its the nfl they have a short shelf life as players get as MUCH AS YOU CAN.Paul Allen has made plenty off of him.its all about guaranteed dollars in this sport is no one paying attention to what these guys do to there bodies?especially him.hell probably have Alzheimer s soon dye at and early age so get what you can get

NFL contracts only state what they will get paid while under employment with the team. The length of time of the contract is not a factor because if they no longer need you, you will not be employed by the team.

I don’t know why people have a hard time understanding that.

It is not a contract for employment for a set time, but a set amount to get paid per year while employed.

NFL contracts are front loaded for the player with a big signing bonus and guaranteed years up front and then back loaded in favor of the team when the guaranteed money runs out. Lynch like every big player got to deposit a big old check the day he signed and that money was his, he also got guaranteed money for the first two years, again his money no matter how bad he played. In the back two years the team gets the player under option – if the player wants to play in the NFL they’ll do it at the price they agreed to with the team when they got the big singing bonus.

I would actually have been fine with the team kicking a few dollars in for him or moving it from next year to this even, but now that he’s holding out I don’t think they can. Going to be a lot of contracts coming up the next few years and the Cap is going to be the rock on which this team is built going forward. No room for John and Pete to have to second guess deals.

It’s about what’s written in the contract. NFL player’s contracts include provisions for when they get beaten out by others players. Just because a 5 year contract is signed, if their performance slides, they can still be released. If they have guaranteed money built in, they still get that money. If not, they don’t.

Seattle, like every NFL team, releases players every year who have been beaten out by other players for the spot on the roster. Red Bryant and Chris Clemons were the most recent examples. Past examples include Antoine Wingfield, Lofa Tatupu, etc., etc. The contracts are written with this possibility in mind and they are never written as an endless work contract that the team must keep them under any circumstance from the point it is signed until the last day of the contract.

I love beast mode but I don’t get the logic that if we don’t have him were falling apart. Sorry but I remember when they signed Shaun Alexander to a big deal in his late twenties. I knew it was a bad move and thank god this is a different front office. Been watching training camp today and listening to the player interviews. Trust me when I tell you these guys are preparing to defend their title. The best team in football is alive and well.

Until the NFL goes to a contract system such as every other sport this will continue to happen. The issue in the NFL is a player can be cut at any time and the team rarely has to pay even a third of what’s left on the deal. When you look the the NHL, NBA and MLB it’s hard to blame these guys. The next more physically enduring sport on the body than football (hockey) makes you keep injured players until they’re healed…and even if you waive them you have to pay them 2/3 of their salary. If the NFL went to a guaranteed contract such as that then this wouldn’t happen. In the NHL it’s also forbidden to negotiate until you have a year left on the existing contract and a ‘new’ deal can’t affect the current rate of pay. In other words hold outs aren’t allowed to happen. The NFL just needs a better players union…that’s all.

Before he was a Seahawk, Marshawn was a first round bust buried on the depth chart. After he is a Seahawk he will be
Over the hill and washed up. It’s very important that he stays a Seahawk, the alternative is not good.

hendeeze says:Jul 25, 2014 6:50 PM

If it’s a contract for a reason, then why did the Seahawks ask Zach Miller to take a pay cut? Can’t have it both ways Cheatin Pete.

I know it sounds like I’m bashing Lynch in my previous post and I understand he’s a big part of why Russell Wilson is Russell Wilson but come one dude. 13 million over 2 years! Thats more than what some top wallstreet guys make.

Here is what Pete Carroll said about Tarvaris Jackson when asked about Tarvaris time with the Vikings. “He has not been in a good situation. He’s been jerked around.”

Here is what Pere Carroll said when asked about Jim Harbaugh’s comments about Seahawks using too many PEDs. “I don’t know about commenting about anybody else’s team”

Pete Carroll has a past of taking out both sides of his mouth to suit his immediate situation.

pacodawg says:Jul 25, 2014 7:09 PM

Love athletes think they would give money back if they suck or get hurt. Honor the contract.

rho1953 says:Jul 25, 2014 7:10 PM

This is why there are no dynasties. It happens to all of them, coaches get big offers and leave, players get big heads and hold out, it can’t be held together. When Wilson needs a new contract it will be impossible to keep the talent. One and done for the Chickenhawks.

I am gratified to see that the majority of the commenters (and the author), see how comical it is for CheaterPeter to be taking the high ground.
Congrats to the Seattle fans for finally getting a Lombardi after waiting for close to 40 years, but continuing with the “Pete love” does not reflect well on your city.

to the wannabe economics professors out there: i think most here understand the basics of nfl contracts. i think some here think the system as constructed by the current cba largely favors the clubs. the players agreed to it, however, so it is what it is.

In the real world, however, it is also incumbent on a club signing veteran players to long term deals to anticipate the player in question’s reaction to significantly outplaying his contract. We have seen that these issues affect some players differently than others. And from here it would seem that marshawn lynch might not be expected to react as most others would. And then the question becomes one andy reid acknowledged earlier in the week… are you willing to significantly lower your chances of success to uphold a negotiating position? or are you willing to spend a couple million making the problem go away…………..

“Red Bryant, Chris Clemons and other players released by the Seahawks with time and money left on their contract would probably be interested to know that the Seahawks’ policy is to honor every contract until the moment it expires, especially since they were doing Lynch one better and showing up for work before they were cut loose.”

Red Bryant and Chris Clemons also collected on any guaranteed money left on their contract when they got cut. It’s not like NFL teams can cut players and not pay them the guaranteed money remaining on the contract. If players don’t like it, then negotiate for more guaranteed money and don’t sign front loaded contracts.

“USC might feel the same way about Carroll leaving the school for the Seahawks while still under contract.”

With Carroll breaking that contract, though, he forfeited all money remaining on that contract.

This is a poorly written article inaccurately trying to paint Carroll as a hypocritical bad guy who is being unfair to Lynch. That’s simply not true. They’ve been plenty fair to Lynch and his compensation as a RB is right in line with his production.

cri33 says:Jul 25, 2014 7:19 PM

politicallyincorrect ..well that sure the heck won’t get Lynch a new contract.

Granted Lynch is the workhorse in the Hawks running game, it’s not because he’s the only option, it simply because he’s the best option. Anyone who thinks that the Hawks offense is going to fall way off without him however is an idiot that has no idea the weapons the Hawks have burried in their depth chart. Quite frankly, at this stage, I have no problem if the Hawks turn the running game completely over to Michael who is more athletic and MUCH cheaper than Lynch who is already making top 5 RB money.

I think people who are saying things like “players sign a contract with the full knowledge that the team can and will cut them loose when they get too expensive, but that is part of the contract … [s]o the notion that the team is tearing up the contract while demanding the player abide by it is a concept held by people who don’t understand how NFL contracts work” don’t understand how any contracts really work. First, on this specific case, you can easily say the same thing about holdouts – NFL teams know holdouts are a possibility when they contract with any player. Second, this is a fact of any contract in any business – if one party reaches a point where it cannot or really doesn’t want to perform, it will hold out and force re-negotiation up to the point where enforcing the contract, which costs a lot in time and money, becomes worth it to the other party. This kind of thing is my business, and I have to deal with it all the time, but frankly I think it is more fair overall than sticking one side with something unfair just because they made a promise long ago under different circumstances.

Ultimately, this is the miniscule price NFL teams pay for the tremendous benefit of having non-guaranteed contracts. I think Lynch is being smart here, trying to get what he can at age 28 and near the peak of his skills. I’m surprised (but admittedly not displeased) that Carroll would say something so senseless, hypocritical, and divisive.

Pete is a Super Bowl winning weasel. But he did not resort to filming opponent’s practices. He is only second to ….?

cags777 says:Jul 25, 2014 7:38 PM

Carroll must be thinking that Russell Wilson will become elite like Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, and Aaron Rodgers this year. I know he has lofty goals. But even Wilson would tell him that the team needs Lynch for continued success. Also not wise for your OC to announce a committee game plan in the offseason.

Hey winninaintsinning,…( love your name btw) If you listen to Sherman ( and who can’t hear this mouth talk) he says STATS show he is the best CB in the NFL.. I say he wasn’t last year..and MY stats back it up.

Richard Sherman : 8 ints for 125 yrds 1 TD, 16 passes defended.

Brandon Boykin : 6 Ints for 136 yrds 1 TD 17 passes defended

But Boykins did it in almost HALF the playing time Sherman did it. Seahawks fans always say in Sherman’s defense. Stats don’t lie. In this case. I agree.
If stats don’t lie, and Boykins played the amount of time Sherman did. He would have had 12 Ints for 260 yrds 2 TD’s and 34 passes defended. To top it off. Boykins doesn’t “play the odds” of pass interference hoping the refs don’t call it all the time. Fact is the seahawks cheat and get away with it and boldly admit it. This year that rule will be enforced per league sources. I aint mad at the Hawks for doing as the late Al Davis always said. If you aint cheating..you aint trying to win. I agree. We’ll see this year how ‘great” Sherman is or isn’t. He is good but he is not great. Peterson, Haden, Talib, Tim Jennings and Revis are better. Sorry

__________________________________

Dude, genius the way you pick and choose those stats to meet your demands. First of all, your description of playing half the time isn’t exactly fair. In 2013, Boykin was thrown at 89 times and allowed 52 receptions. Sherman was only thrown at 57 times for 27 receptions. QB’s were afraid to throw at Sherman, so he got far less chances than Boykin, even though Boykin had about 40% less snaps. Even with so many less chances, Sherman still managed to pick off more than Boykin. Let’s look at % of INT: Boykin, 6 out of 89=6.7%; Sherman, 8 of 57=14.0%. TD’s allowed: Boykin, 3; Sherman, 1. Passer rating against: Boykin, 64.6; Sherman, 36.2. YAC: Boykin, 300; Sherman, 81. Total yards: Boykin, 656; Sherman, 348. Percent caught: Boykin, 58.4; Sherman 50.9.

Anyway, these stats are all courtesy of PFF. Sherman obviously had a superior season to Mr. Boykin.

rdubluv12 says:Jul 25, 2014 7:38 PM

If it’s a contract for a reason, then why did the Seahawks ask Zach Miller to take a pay cut?…

Miller WILLINGLY took a paycut, bro. He didn’t want to play anywhere else but Seattle. Educate yourself before posting a completely bogus comment. Same goes to the rest of you spouting off that didn’t even know who Sherman was until after his NFCCG rant.

Keep grasping onto that false hope that a deal won’t get worked out. If that’s what helps you somehow get over the fact that your team still sucks.

And Philly fans dogging the Hawks? Really? Ha. This coming from a garbage franchise with zero accomplishments in it’s entire existence.

hey 12th man you should be ashamed of your self’s talking trash about your MVP Lynch, but then again most of you are band wagon fans anyway and bow to the alter that Cheating Pete has built.

Good luck with that remember at USC they took away that title so you got that going for you as you defend the ultimate D’bag coach in this league. Enjoy your one ring maybe you see another before you die but don’t hold your breath.

In the words of Peter Tosh “the harder they come the harder they fall one and all” And you will be falling

Marshawn is going about this the wrong way. He doesn’t need to ask for a new contract, what he wants and should ask for is an extension. He wants to remain in Seattle and I’m pretty sure that everyone in the 12th wants him there too.

As far as Lynch hitting the typical wall that running backs do at age 30, he doesn’t strike me as the typical back. I think he has 2 or maybe 3 Pro Bowl seasons left in him. Give him a 2 year extension that keeps him at the same average of 7.5 million per year and this will ensure that he is with the club through at least the 2016 season.

There is no downfall to this approach by Lynch. It puts the team into a corner and forces them to make the bad move. Right now, it’s easy for the Seahawks to make it seem like Lynch is greedy. The best way to counter that is to ask for the same salary to be extended.

Nothing better than coming on here and reading all the comments by the haters!! Knowing that it pisses you off that Seattle is good. Knowing they are SuperBowl champions makes ya’ll even more mad. Makes having that Lombardi Trophy so much sweeter! We get happy reading all the hate, we thrive off it. Why do we get happy? Because knowing you’re miserable, makes us smile! Let the PED comments commence. GO HAWKS!!

Most overrated team in football. If not for a great, last minute clutch field goal kicker, these idiots would have lost 7 games last year. One & done.

FinFan68 says:Jul 25, 2014 8:11 PM

Jamal Charles just signed a pretty good 4 year deal. Lynch’s deal was worth more for the same length of time. He is just upset because other teammates have cashed in after the SB and now he wants more too. Funny, I don’t remember Marshawn complaining about making more money than those guys for the last two years.

Fine him, and don’t roll it into a new deal. He can retire and pay back some cash, keep racking up fines until his contract expires or simply go back to work for the Seahawks.

Deep down inside, the Squawks know that they lost too much talent in the offseason to have a chance at repeating. They should just put the Beast Mode in the reserve list, fine him, and move on. It would be stupid to mortgage the future of the team trying to chase a mirage: i.e. another Super Bowl ring in 2014, by giving the Beast Mode more money. Instead, they should get rid of all the high priced players, including Richard Sherman and Earl Thomas, and just start over from scratch.

rediculous, c’mon Marshawn, you F it up now you wont see ANY contract m0ney, if you are replaced you are DROPPED, that means no more rings and no mo money..

bet your agent forgot to explain that little detail

as far as you ninnys dont think the HAwks can repeat?

remember at the start of last season NO ONE had the Hawks to win it, everyone bet it on the Donks, and the HAwks pimp slapped them into the next century, which is when they might have a chance at beating the Hawks..

And him cheating had nothing to do with the *SB win? He’s known as “Pete the cheat” for a reason you know? Or you can also call him PED Carroll if you like, your choice.

slickhawk says:Jul 25, 2014 8:59 PM

Seahawks will repeat with or without lynch. Hawks starting quarterback gets less Money then the back up quarterback makes and he has an issue being payed top 5 money for a running back. 5.5 million to be exact. Trade him . He is selfish and a distraction to a positive vvibe

This can be easily resolved. Marshawn probably just wants a bigger proportion of his existing contract guaranteed. Jamaal Charles just got a big bump and he still had years to run in his contract.
Pete – you wouldn’t have got to the Super Bowl without Marshawn. Yes, Russell Wilson, played great but if you take Beastmode out, he won’t look so good.
The 12th man says (in a very big voice) – PAY THE MAN!

Beast Mode is #5 highest paid RB in NFL.What is he complaining for? I love his play, but not sure what he’s thinking. He’s taken a lot of wear and tear and not getting younger. He needs to show up and ball.

This has always been my stance.
Players should honor their contract, you signed it you should play it out. Just because another player got more money after you signed is part of the game. This hurts the team, the fans and the game when players become crybabies and hold out.
Great idea for both sides.
Sign a 1 year contract this way if the player has a great year he gets paid more next year, and if he gets hurt the team doesn’t lose millions of dollars.

titimium says:Jul 25, 2014 9:24 PM

What happened to Cool Coach Pete ? I thought everyone loved Cool Coach Pete ? Isn’t he the guy all the players Love ? He’s the master motivator! He’s their Pal, their buddy ! Shouldn’t the players just want to play for him and worry about their contracts after the season is over? Like when they win the SB and the team is worth even more money ? Maybe the Hawks owner can’t afford to pay him more…………….

Like many of these irresponsible and/or under-represented athletes, how much you want to bet he’s flat broke, up to his eyeballs in debt, and desperate to keep the creditors at bay that are nipping at his heels…

It always makes me laugh to read the inane comments about Pete Carroll.

USC is inducting him into their hall of fame for a reason – he had one of the great all -time runs as a college coach at USC, and most people would be glad to have him as their college coach.

Prior to the Pete Carroll era: “From 1980 through 2000, USC was just 151-92-7 with no national titles, capped by the Paul Hackett era from 1998-2000, when USC went 19-18 and never ended a season ranked in the top 25. In 2000, the Trojans finished tied for last in the Pac-10 at 2-6.”

With PC: 97-19, back to back AP national titles, 7 conference championships, 14-2 against UCLA and Notre Dame, and got 60 players drafted into the NFL.

That is success, and just because exactly ONE of the players under him in that 9 years got busted for taking money, suddenly PC is supposed to be Satan? Especially when we all know that every college has boosters throwing money under the table to athletes.

Oh my golly you mean it ISN’T just owners and coaches who subscribe to the “what have you done for me lately” mindset in the NFL?! HOW UNFAIR of them! (Sarcasm folks)

teambolt5000 says:Jul 26, 2014 12:57 AM

Most players are unaware that they are pricing themselves out of work when they sign multi-year contracts that give them more money near the end of long-term contracts. If these players aren’t worth eight million dollars in the first two years of their contract they probably aren’t worth it and the end of it. Even if they are worth it, their cap hit makes them cut bait.

I find all the posts about lying cheating sneaky pete laughable. Is Chip Kelly also a louse for leaving Oregon when they were under the microscope. What about Steve Mariucci who accepted a contract with Cal only to leave them for the 49ers. What about Belichick who let Parcells pave his way to a Job with the Jets only to turn them down after a deal was struck to get the Pats Job. Leaving one Job for another is done all the time in the private sector, and no one says squat. Leaving one firm for a better position doesnt equate to the same thing as breaking a contract. Reagan was absolutely correct to fire the Air traffic controllers when they broke a contract 5 years into a 10 year deal , which they happily signed. I love the Beast and all he has done for the Seahawks but a contract is just that, a contract. Play for what you signed for or dont play.

isuperknowni says:Jul 26, 2014 2:08 AM

Bye bye Marshawn. We win because of selflessness. We wouldn’t win with ya anyways.

jeffesky says:Jul 26, 2014 2:09 AM

Translation—Lynch won’t gear up till the first regular season game Sept 4th. If he stays healthy which he has proven to do so the Hawks won’t cut him next year and if he honors his contract will become a FA in 2016. I love Beast mode but in the NFL you either play the business model as its written or become a franchise like the Browns. Its no fun to stick to your protocols sometimes but that’s exactly what Pete and John have done, and will do in order to succeed. GO HAWKS!!!

Nothing better than coming on here and reading all the comments by the haters!! Knowing that it pisses you off that Seattle is good. Knowing they are SuperBowl champions makes ya’ll even more mad. Makes having that Lombardi Trophy so much sweeter! We get happy reading all the hate, we thrive off it. Why do we get happy? Because knowing you’re miserable, makes us smile! Let the PED comments commence. GO HAWKS!!

We all know the seashells won the *SB but it was tainted. I know you know it’s tainted…almost like the real thing but not quite. Hey at least the Storm brought home a legit championship right?

To repeat, you must re-PED.

fanme57 says:Jul 26, 2014 2:24 AM

The only NFL contract that was not honored is Aaron Hernandez….and the Patriots will likely have to pay the guaranteed money to the murder victims.

It’s a shame you people don’t get it, nobody is forcing the players to sign contract that allow the team to cut them at any time, for any reason.

I live in Seattle and I’ve got to listen to a bunch of fair weather fans whom three seasons ago wanted nothing to do with their beloved Seachickens and Legion of Bull. Now their every where as if they’ve been loyal to their team from day 1.
Talking a bunch of smack cause you won one championship and your on top if the works. Yes they had a great season and dominated the Super Bowl no doubt about that but try supporting your team through thick and thin and stop thinking your all that. Free agency and signing bonuses make it difficult to repeat. Lynch signed a contract and now he’ll hold out cause Sherman and Thomas are at the tail end if their contract and Least Mode thinks he needs to get his. He signed the dotted line be a man of integrity and honor it.
Seachicken fans, shut you beaks and talk your trash when you get back to the Super Bowl. Worry about Squidward and the Niners instead if baggin in the Steelers and Cowboys and their fan base. At least we know how to support our teams through thick and thin. That’s real talk

Lynch said he, “…wants to be respected as one of the faces of the franchises…”

So every season you have a good year you want the team to pay you more money. How about every time you give a crappy interview, you get some money taken away from you, boss?

Or maybe they should, “Meet him in the street at night, HOOD BABY,” like he suggested an opponent do when they hit him hard and took him to the ground.

The Seahawks should let him sit out a season. When the team does poorly they can blame it all on Lynch sitting out.

faaast1 says:Jul 26, 2014 5:31 AM

Mr. Lynch,
Please don’t contact Gary Anderson, and ask him how much his career “benefited” from not only holding out of camp, but holding out for the whole season.
I am such a big fan of the Seahawks, and the bushleague pass protections they use, I would really miss you.

faaast1 says:Jul 26, 2014 5:39 AM

Re: the irony of Pete Carroll’s defense of contract “integrity”

A bastion of honor & trustworthiness, like Pete–the Peter–Carroll, has never been at a loss for gall.

Who do you think put that defense together? Schneider may be the GM but Carroll has a massive amount of input. Also, you may be interested to know that before he was a head coach he was the D coordinator for the 9ers for their last superbowl run. So to say that anyone could’ve coached that defense is idiotic. That is his defense & not his 1st superbowl ring.

Any easy solution for teams and players would be 2 yr contracts for everyone.. That minimizes risk to teams and players on escalating salaries. Make everything fully guaranteed. Saves players from thinking underpaid, helps clubs minimize their risks on players underperforming their contracts or due to injury. Basically all the current contracts are only 1 or 2 yr of guaranteed money anyway.

I love the beast as much a the next hawks fan, but playing professionals sports in general is privilege. So I don’t agree with the hold out by any means. Marshawn needs to honor his contract then make a decision.

The Jags set the bar on not letting players get away with holding a team hostage. Thet didn’t cave to Jones Drew and now they are free from any cap problems and MD won’t be in thier payroll two years after he’s gone. Altho if h I respect Lynch”s right to hold out

coloradofort says:Jul 26, 2014 8:51 AM

2 years left on the contract means your going to cave or be cut…..Lynch is not going to get a new contract with the guaranteed money he already received….pretty easy to see the Hawks will not set precedent…..

I’m with Pete and others who say athletes should just shut up and play if they are under contract.

In any other industry people would not support employees doing that and employees would be told tough luck yet here we are in sports and so many people seem to support these athletes always bitching about money and holding out. Mind boggling.

What I find amusing is players holding out actually think they are sending a positive message to the front office as well as to their teammates. All it says is they are selfish and sour the opinion those others may have of them. If I were an owner or GM, I’d not want to lock up or extend some guy who is whining like that and showing he doesn’t care about the team.

Hopefully the Hawks stand their ground and don’t give in to this crap, especially since it is silly to extend a running back with 2 years left given how performance can change so quickly for runningbacks and I doubt that if Lynch starts to suck it up in 2 years that he will hold out until he gets a pay cut.

Um, NFL teams rarely honor contracts. If teams can cut players because the player is earning too much it is only right that players can hold out.

billh1947 says:Jul 26, 2014 9:28 AM

This is just a reason by Lynch not to have to attend TC.come the week before the season he will show up with his tail between his legs to start his season.wonder if this is his idea to holdout or is it his agents bright idea.

Wait wasn’t Pete still under contract when he left USC for the neon green turd that is Seattle? Where was he to honor that contract after USC was hit with all those sanctions? Oh that’s right he ran off in the middle of the night like a dog with his tail tucked between his legs. Hipocracy at its best ladies and gentleman.

higheriqthanyou says:Jul 26, 2014 10:18 AM

You are all missing the big picture.

Carroll wants to win more than anyone. He’s been ruthless cutting dead weight and starting the best players regardless of where they were drafted or how much they were paid.

It’s why we’re the best team and organization in football.

For him to say this should certainly sound the alarm on other teams’ camps that Christine Michael and the new receiving corp are ready and that Carroll doesn’t see the need to rely on Lynch like we had to in the past.

They don’t like Lynch’s timing. Because he timed it right. The team’s plan worked and they won the trophy. He took less than he wanted for the team to win so why wouldn’t he try to maximize his earning potential while he still can now? His career is over soon. Kills me though how much people hate to see these players make a living and get as much money as they can. It’s kind of funny but sad.

johnclaytonsponytail says:Jul 26, 2014 12:07 PM

Ohhhhh so a team is upset that the player is treating them like the team would if he wasn’t performing? Pot…. meet kettle. Without him as their running game their receiving core even becomes more pedestrian. Yall better give that man his money!!! He IS that offense. And he knows it. Please Seattle come to NOLA in the playoffs. We’re liking our chops.

They will be fine without Beast Mode until they play SF he is one of the VERY few RB’s to get over a 100 yards vs the niners … I would give him more money for the Niners alone.

On another note, Richard Sherman’s success is made possible by Thurman III and the system. He is the one reason why Sherman has not got exposed. Sherman would not be able to play man to man if his safety was not as talented as Thurman III period. The system put in place is one that is simple for DB’s in seattle. Patrick Peterson has to do so much more.

rdubluv12 says:Jul 26, 2014 8:02 PM

^^^ You mean Thomas III?? Dude. Just stop. If you can’t even correctly name the best safety in the league you should not be commenting on a Hawks post, let alone in general. Your lack of football knowledge is astounding and we are all now dumber for having read it.

Personally; I think Lynch is more interested in his movie about himself than he is worried about his team. I think he is counting more on his movie making him money. It sounds to me like a major smokescreen to me.

First off losing Lynch will be a blow to our offense but it will only be temporary. I trust in John and Pete to have drafted Lynch’s replacement. Christine Michael was said to have amazing ability with his quickness & power and some scouts said he was the best RB in the draft. I think we need to give Pete and John the benefit of the doubt when it comes to drafting players. I wish Lynch all the best, he did some amazing things here I will never forget but before everyone starts saying we are doomed if Lynch retires lets give Christine a chance to prove he is the next big thing in Seattle.

Personally I am glad John is unwilling to budge on the contract. He already got rewarded in 2012 and if he isn’t happy that some RB’s are making more than him, oh well that’s his problem. It’s not the Seahawks fault other teams overpaid their Running Backs. Like the Texans and the Vikings did. Oh yeah how did they do last year? Granted I am not saying these guys aren’t amazing in their own right but it just shows how those teams manage their roster in regards to their salary cap. Even if we gave Lynch another million it would be one less million to roll over for next season which could cost us from re-signing either KJ Wright or a guy like Bobby Wagner and I am sorry our defense is our true life blood of our team.

This situation almost reminds me of when everyone wanted to resign Shaun Alexander and how did that turn out? I think I was the only one saying not only was it a stupid decision to resign an aging RB but we also lost our life blood of our offense in Steve Hutchinson. Now I understand we could have put the true franchise tag on Hutch instead of the transitional tag but the tag wouldn’t have even been needed if we would’ve let Alexander go because Hutch wanted a long term deal. Our O-line is what made Alexander great and when Hutch left I knew our run was over. Boy did the ish hit the fan in a hurry or what.

I know it sucks to lose guys like Lynch but trust me another will take his place and we will be singing the same tune when he is considering leaving or retiring. So everyone keep your heads held high we are the defending Super Bowl champs and until someone knocks us out we are still the best team in the NFL no matter what others say. If you actually made it to this point thanks for reading. Go Hawks!!!!!!!

All these starbuck drinkers think Marshawn is being greedy..marshawn is all about pride..he’s turned down major sponsorships in the past…Oakland pride..something the northwest will never know anything about..

I don’t think the Seahawks need to be concerned until at least mid-season. If Marshawn decides on a lengthy holdout, it gives the hawks a chance to see exactly what they have with Turbin and Michael. Christine Michael has shown flashes of greatness and it would be nice to see how he does with significant playing time.

Most of their divisional games are at the end of the season, so getting a healthy and rested Beast Mode back for those games and the playoff stretch would be optimal. He usually misses a lot of practices throughout the season, as he gets pretty dinged up due to his playing style. A 2 or 3-month holdout could work out perfectly.

Seriuosly coach quit all the time and take better offers what about their contract?
If his contract needs adjustment because he out played it so what owners jack up your prices on everything to increase their profits.

Other than punter, RB is the least important position on the team. RBs come out of the woodwork all the time and perform. Seahawks are smart not to give in, there is no reason to pay a RB a ton of money.